The Development of Teaching Case Studies to Explore Ethical Issues Associated with Computer Programming

In the past decade software products have become pervasive in many aspects of people’s lives around the world. Unfortunately, the quality of the experience an individual has interacting with that software is dependent on the quality of the software itself, and it is becoming more and more evident that many large software products contain a range of issues and errors, and these issues are not known to the developers of these systems, and they are unaware of the deleterious impacts of those issues on the individuals who use these systems. The authors of this paper are developing a new digital ethics curriculum for the instruction of computer science students. In this paper we present case studies that were explored to demonstrate programming issues to First Year Computer Science students. Each case study outlines key issues associated with a particular scenario and is accompanied by specific questions to be used by the instructor to allow students to begin to reflect on, and evaluate, the implications of these issues. The objective of this teaching content is to ensure that the students are presented with, and engage with, ethical considerations early in their studies and well before they encounter them in an employment setting

Check your Tech, whose responsibility is it when cyberharassment occurs?

Social media has become a dominant aspect of many people’s lives in many countries. Unfortunately that resulted in widespread issues of bullying and harassment. While frequently this harrassment is intentional, there have been occasions where automated processes have been inadvertently responsible for this sort of harassment. The software tools that allow people to harass others could have further features added to them to reduce the amount of harassment that occurs, but more often than not, where programmers are developing these systems then don’t anticipate the range of ways that these technologies will be used (this is called “consequence scanning”). The authors of this paper are developing a new digital ethics curriculum for the instruction of computer science students. In this paper we present two case studies we have developed with a focus on cyberharrassment. Each case study is accompanied by a list of specific questions to be used by the instructor to allow students to evaluate the implications of developing social media systems as well as a generic case studies checksheet that allow deeper reflection on the intended and unintended consequences of introducing new technologies

The Between-Competition Running Demands of Elite Hurling Match-Play

The current study aimed to investigate the differences in running demands between the National Hurling League (NHL) and the Championship, and within playing positions. GPS (10 Hz, STATSports Apex GNSS) were used to analyse the running demands during 34 games (2017–2020 seasons) of the Championship and the NHL. The running demands (total-, relative-, high-speed- [\u3e17 km·h−1] and sprint [≥22 km·h−1] distance, number and length of sprints, and peak speed) were compared between competitions. Greater total- [ES = 0.32], relative- [ES = 0.26], and sprint-distance [ES = 0.41], and number of sprints [ES = 1.29] were completed in the Championship. The high-speed distance was similar between competitions. Half-backs and half-forwards covered greater total- (ES = 0.91 and 0.21, respectively), relative- (ES = 1.14 and 0.68, respectively), high-speed- (ES = 0.69 and 0.44, respectively), and sprint-distance (ES = 0.50 and 1.26, respectively), number of sprints (ES = 2.66 and 1.73, respectively), and peak speed (ES = 1.09 and 1.32, respectively) in the Championship. There was no difference (p \u3c 0.05) in the sprint distance covered between positions in the Championship. The results showed that the Championship is more physically demanding. The findings present key implications for the transition between competitions

Versatile capillary column temperature control using a thermoelectric array based platform

A new direct contact platform for capillary column precise temperature control based upon the use of individually controlled sequentially aligned Peltier thermoelectric units is presented. The platform provides rapid temperature control for capillary and microbore liquid chromatography columns and allows simultaneous temporal and spatial temperature programming. The operating temperature range of the platform was between 15 and 200 0C for each of 10 aligned Peltier units, with a ramp rate of approximately 400 0C/min. The system was evaluated for a number of nonstandard capillary based applications, such as the direct application of temperature gradients with both linear and nonlinear profiles, including both static column temperature gradients and temporal temperature gradients, and the formation of in-capillary monolithic stationary phases with gradient polymerization through precise temperature control

Management of Pasture Soils: Biochar Stability, Carbon Storage Potential and Its Effect on Production and Quality

The use of biochar has been proposed as a stable carbon (C) amendment with long-term carbon (C) storage potential in agricultural soils while improving primary productivity. However, this concept has not been widely tested in contrasting soils under temperate pasture systems. To address this knowledge gap, a 13C-labelled biochar, produced from Eucalyptus saligna biomass by slow pyrolysis (450° C; d13C -36.7‰) was surface (0 10 cm) applied in C3 dominated, annual temperate pasture systems across Arenosol, Cambisol and Ferralsol. The results show that only 2% of the applied biochar-C was mineralised in a relatively clay- and C-poor Arenosol, 4.6% in a clay- and C-rich Cambisol, and 7% in a clay- and C-rich and earthworm-abundant Ferralsol over 12 months. Biochar application increased soil C stock, while the mean residence time of biochar-C, an indicator of its stability in soil, decreased with increasing native C content and/or pasture productivity across the soils i.e. Arenosol (71 years) \u3c Cambisol (39 years) \u3c Ferralsol (29 years). Biochar application increased pasture growth rate only on two occasions over 12 months in the Ferralsol but not in the other pasture-soil systems. The biochar-C recovery to 12 30 cm depth varied as 1.2% (Arenosol), 2.7% (Cambisol) and 15.7% (Ferralsol) after 12 months. Cumulative CO2-C emission from native soil-plant sources was lower (p \u3c 0.10) in the biochar-amended vs. non-amended Ferralsol. This study shows that the downward migration of biochar-C exceeded its loss via mineralisation in the Arenosol and Ferralsol but in the Cambisol. This migration of biochar to deeper soil layers could enhance C sequestration potential in soil systems

Cucurbit[n]uril binding of platinum anticancer complexes

The encapsulation of cisplatin by cucurbit[7]uril (Q[7]) and multinuclear platinum complexes linked via a 4,4′-dipyrazolylmethane (dpzm) ligand by Q[7] and cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) has been studied by NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling. The NMR studies suggest that some cisplatin binds in the cucurbituril cavity, while cis-[PtCl(NH3)2(H2O)]+ only binds at the portals. Alternatively, the dpzm-linked multinuclear platinum complexes are quantitatively encapsulated within the cavities of both Q[7] and Q[8]. Upon encapsulation, the non-exchangeable proton resonances of the multinuclear platinum complexes show significant upfield shifts in 1H NMR spectra. The H3/H3* resonances shift upfield by 0.08 to 0.55 ppm, the H5/H5* shift by 0.9 to 1.6 ppm, while the methylene resonances shift by 0.74 to 0.88 ppm. The size of the resonance shift is dependent on the cavity size of the encapsulating cucurbituril, with Q[7] encapsulation producing larger shifts than Q[8]. The upfield shifts of the dpzm resonances observed upon cucurbituril encapsulation indicate that the Q[7] or Q[8] is positioned directly over the dpzm linking ligand. The terminal platinum groups of trans-[{PtCl(NH3)2}2μ-dpzm]2+ (di-Pt) and trans-[trans-{PtCl(NH3)2}2-trans-{Pt(dpzm)2(NH3)2}]4+ (tri-Pt) provide a barrier to the on and off movement of cucurbituril, resulting in binding kinetics that are slow on the NMR timescale for the metal complex. Although the dpzm ligand has relatively few rotamers, encapsulation by the larger Q[8] resulted in a more compact di-Pt conformation with each platinum centre retracted further into each Q[8] portal. Encapsulation of the hydrolysed forms of di-Pt and tri-Pt is considerably slower than for the corresponding Cl forms, presumably due to the high-energy cost of passing the +2 platinum centres through the cucurbituril portals. The results of this study suggest that cucurbiturils could be suitable hosts for the pharmacological delivery of multinuclear platinum complexe

Lean participative process improvement : outcomes and obstacles in trauma orthopaedics

To examine the effectiveness of a “systems” approach using Lean methodology to improve surgical care, as part of a programme of studies investigating possible synergy between improvement approaches. Setting A controlled before-after study using the orthopaedic trauma theatre of a UK Trust hospital as the active site and an elective orthopaedic theatre in the same Trust as control. Participants All staff involved in surgical procedures in both theatres. Interventions A one-day “lean” training course delivered by an experienced specialist team was followed by support and assistance in developing a 6 month improvement project. Clinical staff selected the subjects for improvement and designed the improvements. Outcome Measures We compared technical and non-technical team performance in theatre using WHO checklist compliance evaluation, “glitch count” and Oxford NOTECHS II in a sample of directly observed operations, and patient outcome (length of stay, complications and readmissions) for all patients. We collected observational data for 3 months and clinical data for 6 months before and after the intervention period. We compared changes in measures using 2-way analysis of variance. Results We studied 576 cases before and 465 after intervention, observing the operation in 38 and 41 cases respectively. We found no significant changes in team performance or patient outcome measures. The intervention theatre staff focused their efforts on improving first patient arrival time, which improved by 20 minutes after intervention. Conclusions This version of “lean” system improvement did not improve measured safety processes or outcomes. The study highlighted an important tension between promoting staff ownership and providing direction, which needs to be managed in “lean” projects. Space and time for staff to conduct improvement activities are important for success